Tape dispenser

ABSTRACT

A tape dispenser is described which is easily opened for access to the tape and also readily and securely closed. The dispenser comprises a body with a flat bottom surface, a peripheral side wall and a center orifice with an annular wall projection. The tape seats around the projection. The cover comprises a flat plate having a closed projection seating in said annular orifice. The cover snaps into a recess on the side wall having a plurality of spaced projections.

United States Patent 191 Berman Mar. 12, 1974 [5 TAPE DISPENSER 1,157,041 10/1915 Reynolds 220/60 R [75] Inventor: Harold Berman, westwood, Mass. 3,294,228 12/1966 Urso et al. 220/60 R ASSigHeeI AC5 p Canton, Mass- Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance [22] Filed: Jam 10, 1972 Assistant Examiner- Steven M. Pollard Attorney, Agent, or F|rmDarby & Darby 21 App1.No.: 216,573

' [57] ABSTRACT [52] us CL 220/4 242/5553 A tape dispenser is described which is easily opened for access to the tape and also readily and securely [51] Int. Cl B65d 7/00 closed The dispenser comprises a y with a flat [58] Field of Search 220/4 B, 60 R, l A, 24.2, b u ff h l n d t 220/243; 242/5553; 206/52 R; 156/577 3 perp era f a t lfice with an annular wall pro ection. The tape seats [561 References Cited around the pro ecnon. The cover con1pr1 ses a flat plate having a closed PI'OJCCtlOH seating 1n said annular UNITED STATES PATENTS I orifice. The cover snaps into a recess 0n the side wall 3,380,874 4/1968 Berman 156/577 having a plurality of spaced projections. 2,878,848 3/1959 Coltman, Jr. 220/60 R 2,333,924 11/1943 Gorbatenko 206/52 R 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures TAPE DISPENSER.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION In my US. Pat. No. 3,380,874, I describe a tape dispenser particularly adapted to dispense narrow widths of tape for drawing and analogous purposes. The dispenser of that patent comprises a body which is a plate having a tape hub having an aperture to accomodate a projection in the cover plate. Both outer surfaces of the body and cover are flat and uninterrupted except for the central portion of the cover.

One object of the present invention is to provide a tape dispenser of a similar type to that described in U. S. Pat. No. 3,380,874 but which has a structure which can be more readily dissembled and assembled.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a tape dispenser in which the tape is more readily accessible.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a dispenser whose parts are firmly held together when assembled.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the description and claims which follow and taken along with the appended drawings.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention comprises in detachable combination a body member and a snap-in cover member. The body member has a central orifice and on its periphery has a vertical upwardly directed wall. The central orifice also has a vertical upwardly directed wall. The peripheral wall has an' inner seating ridge cooperating with locking means to form a snap-in seating recess. The cover member has a flat outer portion seating in said recess. The cover member preferably has a central inwardly tapering closed projection cooperable with the central orifice and its wall. When the projection is seated in the orifice its covered surface fills in the space in the orifice so that the entire bottom surface of the body portion is substantially flat.

The locking means can comprise spaced projections in one member cooperable with recesses in the other. In a preferred form the locking means comprises projections-spaced on the peripheral wall above the seating ridge. r

The tape dispenser of this invention is readily dissembled by merely pressing against the center of the cover. To reassemble, one merely presses the cover against the seating ridge and the cover then fits into the recess by a snap action.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side view of a dispenser made in accordance with this invention, looking at the outer surface of the body member.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the dispenser looking at the outer surface of the cover member and inner surface of the body member.

FIG. 2A is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view and section looking into numeral 35 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged section of the cover assembled in the body of the dispenser.

SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, the tape dispenser l 1 comprises a cover member 20 and a body member 30.

The cover member 20 comprises a flat plate with a covered tapering projection 21 in the center. The body portion 30 has a peripheral wall 32 on a flat plate 31, while 32 has an inner ridge 34 and a plurality of projections 35, 36 and 37 extending inward from wall and above the ridge so as to form a locking recess. In the center of the plate 31 is an orifice with a protruding side wall 33 engageable with the closed projection 21 of the cover. Projection 33 acts as a hub for the tape 40. The tape 40 feeds through throat 38 to the leading edge 39a of the base 39, where a groove is provided with the same width as the tape being dispensed for guiding purposes.

The dispenser of this invention is readily dissembled by simply applying pressure to the central tapering projection, 21. It is easily assembled by pushing the plate 20 in the ridge 34 against the projections 35, 36 and 37 so that the cover 20 locks quickly and securely in place.

I claim:

1. A container comprising in detachable combination a body member and a snap-in resiliently flexible cover member;

said-body member having a peripheral wall, having a bottom wall with a central orifice and also having an upwardly directed inner wall surrounding said central orifice;

said peripheral wall having an inner seating ledge and locking means to form a snap-in seating recess; said cover member having a flat outer portion seating in said recess;

said cover member also having a central, inwardly tapering projection in said orifice and surrounded by said inner wall, said projection terminating in a flat wall portion whose plane is adjacent that of said bottom wall, whereby said cover member may be snapped into place to be engaged by said locking means, and may be readily unsnapped by pressing on said flat portion of said projection.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the locking means comprises a plurality'of projections spaced on the peripheral wall above the seating ridge.

3. A tape dispenser comprising in detachable combination a body member and a snap-in cover member;

said body member having a bottom wall with a central orifice and a peripheral upwardly directed wall;

said central orifice being surrounded by an upwardly directed inner wall;

said peripheral wall having an inner seating ledge and a plurality of projections spaced above the ledge to form a snap-in seating recess adapted to engage the edge of said cover member when seated on said ledge within said peripheral wall;

said cover member having a flat outer portion and a central inwardly tapering closed projection;

said flat outer portion seating in said recess and said projection seating in said orifice within said orifice wall;

the closed end of said projection extending through said orifice to a position adjacent to said bottom wall, whereby said cover member may be readily unsnapped by pressing on said projection end and thereby flexing said cover member to disengage its edges from said projections.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF (ZOBRECTION Patent No. 3,795,341 Dated March 12, 1974 Inventor s) HAROLD It is certified that error app-ears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 1, line delete "having? (second occurrence) Signed and sealed this 23rd day of July 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. 0. MARSHALL DANN Attestingv Officer A Commissioner of Patents 

1. A container comprising in detachable combination a body member and a snap-in resiliently flexible cover member; said body member having a peripheral wall, having a bottom wall with a central orifice and also having an upwardly directed inner wall surrounding said central orifice; said peripheral wall having an inner seating ledge and locking means to form a snap-in seating recess; said cover member having a flat outer portion seating in said recess; said cover member also having a central, inwardly tapering projection in said orifice and surrounded by said inner wall, said projection terminating in a flat wall portion whose plane is adjacent that of said bottom wall, whereby said cover member may be snapped into place to be engaged by said locking means, and may be readily unsnapped by pressing on said flat portion of said projection.
 2. The container of claim 1 wherein the locking means comprises a plurality of projections spaced on the peripheral wall above the seating ridge.
 3. A tape dispenser comprising in detachable combination a body member and a snap-in cover member; said body member having a bottom wall with a central orifice and a peripheral upwardly directed wall; said central orifice being surrounded by an upwardly directed inner wall; said peripheral wall having an inner seating ledge and a plurality of projections spaced above the ledge to form a snap-in seating recess adapted to engage the edge of said cover member when seated on said ledge within said peripheral wall; said cover member having a flat outer portion and a central inwardly tapering closed projection; said flat outer portion seating in said recess and said projection seating in said orifice within said orifice wall; the closed end of said projection extending through said orifice to a position adjacent to said bottom wall, whereby said cover member may be readily unsnapped by pressing on said projection end and thereby flexing said cover member to disengage its edges from said projections. 